Millennials are buying homes with their pets in mind

89% of millennials who bought a home this year own a pet

Millennials put their pets' needs on top of their list of priorities when buying a home. (credit: mariposavet for Flickr and Wikimedia Commons)
Millennials put their pets' needs on top of their list of priorities when buying a home. (credit: mariposavet for Flickr and Wikimedia Commons)

Millennials love their pets so much that accommodating their four-legged friends’ needs is a top priority when buying a home.

According to the American Pet Products Association, 73 percent of millennials own a pet, CNBC reported. But when it comes to millennials who bought a home this year, 89 percent owns a pet.

Rental buildings have long catered to pet owners with dog runs and pet salons, and millennials are looking for the same kinds of features when buying a home.

“I don’t have kids, and I’ve intentionally decided that while I want to have kids one day, I’m not at that point in my life, and I think a lot of millennials here in D.C. are kind of in that same boat, but you still enjoy having something to take care of,” said Jessica Evans, a 31-year-old real estate broker in Washington, D.C.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

By signing up, you agree to TheRealDeal Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Evans, who lives with her dog and cat, sold her condo and bought a single-family row house to help keep her pets happy.

She said most of millennial her real estate clients put outdoor space – either a yard or a park close by – as their top priority when buying a home.

A full 79 percent of pet-owning millennial homebuyers who closed on a property this year said they would pass on a home that otherwise meets all of their needs if it didn’t work for their pets, according a survey by Realtor.com. [CNBC] – Rich Bockmann